Graham Arnold: We Came to Play Our Way and the Winning Mentality Will Not Fade Against France

The Australian Graham Arnold, coach of the Lions of Mesopotamia, entered the France match conference with calm features and clear confidence, despite the difficult task awaiting them early Monday at Lincoln Field in Philadelphia. The second round match of Group Nine in the 2026 World Cup does not tolerate mistakes, especially after the harsh 1-4 loss to Norway that placed Iraq at the bottom of the standings with no points.

The Australian coach began his talk on a positive note: 'The team's morale is very good.' A short sentence but it carries a direct message to his players and the Iraqi audience. Arnold knows that the defeat by Norway was a slap, but he closed that chapter immediately. 'That match is in the past, and we have prepared well for this encounter.' In short, there is no time to cry over spilled milk in a relentless World Cup.

Arnold was realistic in assessing the opponent. He described the Roosters as 'one of the strong contenders to win the World Cup,' and praised Didier Deschamps' work: 'A great and distinguished coach, he has achieved great accomplishments with France. It is clear that all his players love him and interact with him positively, and this is one of the secrets of his success.'

But respect did not turn into fear. The Australian coach turned the equation into motivation: 'We have never faced a team the size of France. The atmosphere is wonderful, and this match represents an important opportunity to showcase our capabilities and what we excel at on the field.' The message is clear: the World Cup is the stage of dreams, and Iraq came to paint its own picture, even if the opponent is the 2018 World Champion.

The moment of humor in the conference came when Arnold talked about France's attack led by Kylian Mbappe, who scored a double against Senegal: 'When I looked at the names of the French attacking line, I jokingly wondered if we could play with three goalkeepers.' The hall laughed, but behind the laughter was an implicit acknowledgment of the significant technical difference.

Nevertheless, Arnold brought the players back to reality: 'We cannot control the opponent's performance, but we can control our level on the field, and this is what we focus on.' A distinctly Australian philosophy: do not worry about what the opponent has, focus on what you have and how you use it. 

He confirmed that Iraq's camp in the United States is proceeding according to plan: 'Since our arrival, the organizing committee has provided us with all the requirements,' indicating that external factors will not be an excuse against France.

Arnold did not shy away from the tough questions. About Ayman Hussein, the team captain, he said: 'Ayman is a great leader and has previously led the team to victories.' An affirmation of the striker's role in finding the net, even if the chances are few against the defenses of Konate and Saliba.

As for the weakness point everyone talked about after the Norway match, the response was diplomatic: 'So far, we have not decided on the main goalkeeper for the match.' Arnold's words leave the door open for a change in the lineup, especially after observations of Jalal Hassan's slowness in rising against Norway. We might witness a surprise in the goalkeeper position against Mbappe.

A piece of good news the coach revealed at the end: 'Player Ali Jassim will be ready.' Jassim's return gives Iraq an additional speed card on the flanks, which could be a key to disturbing Theo Hernandez.

Arnold concluded the conference with a sentence that summarizes his philosophy since taking the task: 'I enter every match with a winning mentality, and I always strive to instill this culture in the players.'